Shock-absorber.



W. T. SEARS.

SHOCK ABSORBER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23, 1915.

Patented Jan. 11, 1916.

In'vEn fur- ,Seam.

that 1 practically e.

STAES ALTENT i FFICE.

WILLARD T. SEARS, F EHILADELIPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SHOCK-ABSQRBER.

Application filed June 23, 1915.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLARD T. Scans, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadel hia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in elements can relatively move freely away from the base line, central or initial position with practically n6 resistance, but wherein the return movement is resisted. This function I prefer to duplicate; that is to say, the same results are secured at opposite sides of the central or iii tial position of the sis wili be inferred c organization is such minatc all resistance to more nt for a short distance away from the cent y, then offer but slightly increased resistance on further movement in the same direction away fiiom the central position, but interpose strong resistance to return movement up to a point near the central position when tire-resistance is practically automatically cut ,out, this latter relation remaining until there is again a considerable amount of relative movement.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification I show in sectional side elevation one of the several convenien" forms of embodiment of the invention v will be set forth in detail in the foll description. As will be gathcred from what I have already stated I do not limit my elf to this showing; I may depart there rom in several respects within the scope or the invention defined by the claims following said description.

It will be assumed that 3-5 denotes the body of a vehicle such as an automobile, the axle, and 3'? a spring interposed be tween the axle and the body, the axle constituting a part of the running gear of the vehicle. Connected suitably v. at e axle Specification of Letters Eatent.

Fatented Jan. 11, 1916.

Serial No. 35,754.

is the support or bracket 38. Although said support or bracket is shown rigid with the axle, this is not always necessary. Mov-- able with the body or equivalent is the wedge member 39, the shank of said wedge member being pivoted to the body as at 10 and depending therefrom. The wedge member 39 has two wedge portions or faces 4.1 and i2 usually but not essentially of duplicate construction. These faces merge into each other, the place of mergence being the neutral part of the wedge member, the faces %1 and a2 being opposite or being inclined away from the neutral or central part of the wedge member. The forward face 43 of said wedge member fits a bearing against the fiat face 4st of the projection 45 within and constituting a part. of the bracket 38,

the engagement between the flat faces 43 and 4A: being maintained by the shoe element or block 46, the active face of which is curved to approximately agree with and to engage the curved active surface of the wedge member 39. The shoe element or block 46 is pivoted to the stem 47 having a collar 48 slidable in the tubular rearwardly extending portion 49 of the bracket 38, the outer reduced end of the stem 47 being slidable in a guide hole 50 in the extreme or eX- tended end of said bracket 38. The shoe element 46 is constantly forced against the wedge member 39 and the latter in turn against the projection e6 by suitable means as the spring 51 surrounding the'rear portion of the stem 47 and bearing against the collar 48 and also against the outer yokelike end of the bracket 38. At the junction or mergence of the inner ends of the two wedge faces 41 and 412 is an anti-friction roller 52 which is set into the wedge member 42, the periphery of the roller extending at all times slightly beyond the wedge surface of the wedge element 39, so that when the partsare in their neutral positions as represented, the shoe element will engage the anti-friction roller 52, by reason of which resistance between the two parts is cut out or practically cut out when the wedge and shoe elements are in their said neutral or central positions and for a short distance each side of the neutral.

It will be clear that when the body or like i anii-iriction roller 52 and along and down :he wedge surface 42 during which motion practically no resistance is offered to the ascent of the body. On the descent of the body, however, to the neutral or central position, the wedge surface 41 by riding along the shoe element 46, or as it might otherwise be stated, by the shoe element riding up said surface 41 or moving from the low toward the high part thereof, encounters resistance which in the construction shown lar means for obtaining the highly advai tageous functions set forth, but the wedge progressively increases until the shoe e1ement 46.engages the anti-friction roller 52- at which point resistance ispractically alto-- gether cut out. On downward movement of the body, the conditions described are exactly reversed, there being no resistance offered or practically none during the down' ward movement from the neutral or central- 20 position, although the resistance as represented, is progressively increased as the body rises, the resistance being again out out or virtually nullified when the central or neutral position is again reached. at which time the shoe element '46 will engage the anti-friction roller 52. There may be cases where I may desire to interpose an anti-friction roller between the projection 44- and the wedge member 39.

The wedge element 39 and shoe element '46prcsent as will be clearly understood,

merely one of many different samples of two relatively movablevelements in conjunction with which I may provide means by which I can insure the attainment of the objects originally expressed; that is, to practically cut out resistance in the central position, offer but slight resistance to movement away from the central movement in the same direction andthen intei-pose strong resistance on relative return movement of the parts t0 the neutral position, eliminatin'gsuch resistance or to all intents and purposes do ng so when this neutral position is reached. The invention is not limited to any particuconstruction in conjunction witlrthe anti friction roller or equivalent means is nently satisfactory inthis regard.

I have shown a construction wherein the resistance on the relative return oftheparts to neutral is resisted in a progressively increasing manner. I do not restrict myself to this feature, although it is of .advanta e,

the invention residing broadly in means or interposing resistance during such time, and

this resistance may be either constant or va wedwa or other-suitably acting means.

at I' claim is: 1,. A shock absorber comprising a wedge element and a shoeelement, the wedge ele ment havin I two oppositely disposed wedge portions an the shoe element havingmean's em v Y j ward the wedge ele riable dependingupon the form of the r connected therewith for urging the same yield-ingly toward the wedge element, said wedge element and shoe element being rela tively movable towardand from an initial position, and the shoe element being adapted to traverse said wedge portiors '111 alternation on the relative movement of the parts oppositely from said initial position, the wedge element having means associated therewith for approximately cuttin' out re-- sistance between the wedge and s cc elements when the elements are position.

2. The combination of amovably mounted wedge element and a shoe element, the

in'said initial two elements being relatively movable toward and from an initial position, the wedge element having two oppositely disposed wedge portions and the shoe element having means for yieldingly-urging the same toward the wedge element, the shoe element being adapted to traverse said wedge portions in alternation on from said initial position, the wedge element having-means associated therewith for ap-' proximately cutting out resistance between 'the two elements when the same are in said initial position. 7

3. A shock absorber comprising a Wedge able toward and from an initial position, the shoe element being adapted to traverse the wedge face of the wedge elementon opposite relative movement and the wedge presenting no resistance to the shoe element on relative movement in one direction but presenting resistaiiceoii the opposite movement thereof, and means for approximately automatically cutting out'the resistance at the conclusion of the relative resisting move ment. 4:- The combination of a pivetail l mounted wedge element and a shoe element, the two elements being relatively movable tothe relative m'ovef ment of the parts in--pp'osite directions v 9s element and a shoe element relatively movo ward and from an initial DOSltlOIl the wed e l 7 a element having two oppositely disposed 5 means ror yielding v urging the same toit, the shoe element e said wedge perthe relative movein opposite directions being adapted to tions in alte ment of the from said t al position, the wedgpelement hav ng .1?! s'associatcd 'therewit for approximateiy cutting out resistance between the two elements when the same are in said yieldingly toward the wedge e wedge portions and the shoe element having two elements being relatively movable toward and from aneutral position on the relative movement of the body of the running gear, the shoe element being adapted to traverse said Wedge element in opposite directions on said relative movement, the Wedge element presenting no resistance to the shoe element on the relative movement in one direction and offering resistance to 1 the shoe element on the relative movement In testimony whereof I afiix my signa- 15 ture in presence of two witnesses.

W'ILLARD T. SEARS. lVitnesses H. M. CLEAVER, R. S. APGAR. 

